Henry w



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

H. W. GILBERT.

CORSET.

No. 357,078. Patented Feb.- 1, 1887.

(No Mbdel.) 2 SheetsShet 2.

H.- W. GILBERT.

CORSET.

No. 357,078. Patented Feb. 1 ,1887.

N. PETERS, PhnhrUlllagrgphnr, Wuhblgiun. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY w. GILBERT, -OEBRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES ALFORD HOUSE, OF SAME PLACE.

CORSET.-

SPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,078, dated February 1,1887.

Application filed July 14, 1856. Serial No. 207,072. (No model.)

To 0. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. GILBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corsets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My in vention relates to certain new and useful improvements in corsets, and has for its object to furnish means for the tightening or loosening thereof which shall be of great simplicity, and whereby the ordinary laces and the trouble incident thereto shall be done away with; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the detailsof construction hereinafter fully explained, and then recited in the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may fully understand how to make and use my improvement, I will describe the same in detail, referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 shows my improved corsetin proper adjusted position, and Fig. 2 a plan view thereof, but slightly modified asto the attachment of the waistbands.

A and B are the two sections of the corset, provided at their front meeting edges with any ordinary fastenings or clasps, a.

O and D are strips whose length is approximately the height of thesections A B. Steels for the purpose of stiffening the strips are preferably inserted therein and longitudinal thereof.

E and F are two sets of short straps, one set connecting the section B and the strip 0, and the other set connecting the section A and the strip D. Said straps are arranged alternately andpross, as is shown in the drawings. These straps I contemplate to make of the same fabric of which the corset is constructed; but in certain cases it may be found expedient to make them or some of them from elastic webbing or its equivalent. In fact, I find that a corset having inelastic straps, ex-

cepting the top and bottom straps of each set, which are of elastic fabric, is a construction possessing many advantages, since they tend to adjust the corset upon the wearer so as to equalize the pressure therefrom.

G are waistbands. Their rear ends are secured to the strips 0 D, and their loose ends 4 are adapted to be secured together by a buckle,

In Fig. 2 I have shown the waistbands as loosely connected to bails I, of cord or wire, whose ends are secured to the strips. This connection also tends to secure an automatic adjustment of pressure of the corset upon the person.

In my invention I do not wish to be confined to the precise details of construction which I have herein shown and described, since minor changes therein might be made without departing from the spirit and aim of my invention, which contemplates the employment of the crossed and alternating straps attached to the respective corset-sections and the waistbands for adjusting said sections through said straps.

Havingthus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the corset-sections, of a pair of vertical strips at the back thereof, short straps connecting each section with the opposite vertical strip, and waistbands secured to said strips and adapted to draw and hold the same apart, whereby the rear edges of the corset-sections are drawn and held together, substantially as shown and described.

2. A corset the meeting edges of whose sections at the rear are provided each with a set In testimony whereof I affix my signature in of short straps, the two sets interlacing, as presence of two witnesses. shown and described, and provided also with stifi'ened strips connected to each of the sets of HENRY GILBERT 5 straps, and waistbands secured to said strips Witnesses:

and adapted to buckle at the front of the cer- S. H. HUBBARD,

set, substantially as specified. S. S. VILLIAMSON. 

